Foreign accents are a common, normal aspect of second language (L2) acquisition. However, non-native speakers sometimes experience negative social evaluation and even discrimination because of their patterns of speech. Because of the growing interest among English as a Second Language (ESL) professionals in aspects of L2 pronunciation, it is important that prospective teachers be exposed to information about the nature of foreign accents, their role in communication and the kinds of reactions they tend to elicit from the public in general. To help establish a framework for informing teachers about such issues, this paper reviews a number of studies of accent discrimination, attitudes towards accented speech and non-native speakers’ reflections on the consequences of having an accent. Although mainstream classroom teachers are generally accepting of diversity, they may subconsciously hold prejudicial reactions to certain accents. These can go unquestioned because they are rooted in societal institutions such as the popular media. Although there has been greater general awareness of some variables that have been the target of prejudice (for example, gender), accents sometimes still elicit negative responses. We discuss a consciousness-raising activity designed for pre-service teachers that may help explore the nature of such reactions.

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